Randall Kamien Named APS Editor in Chief

The American Physical Society’s Board of Directors has appointed Randall Kamien as Editor in Chief effective January 1, 2023.

The newly appointed Editor in Chief will, among other responsibilities, oversee the Society’s publishing activities. Previously, the Editor in Chief was a senior APS staff role held by Michael Thoennessen, who will continue to serve as interim Editor in Chief through the end of the year.

“I have learned a lot from Michael’s leadership over the past 5 years,” says Kamien. “I am honored to be given the opportunity to take forward the role that he selflessly helped redefine.”

Kamien is the Vicki and William Abrams Professor in the Natural Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania. He is a soft matter physicist, specializing in liquid crystals. Since 2017 he has served as Lead Editor of Reviews of Modern Physics.

The Board voted to appoint Kamien at its November meeting, following a call for nominations and establishment of a Search Committee chaired by APS President Frances Hellman. The Search Committee included representatives from APS leadership, the Committee on Scientific Publications, the Lead Editors, and publishing industry experts. The Board solicited nominations from the full membership of APS as well as the broader international physics community. After the Search Committee interviewed several candidates, they recommended Kamien for appointment.

“What stood out about Randall was his keen understanding of the needs of our authors, readers, and editors,” says Hellman. “His enthusiasm for and belief in our APS journals, his balanced, holistic evaluation of difficult problems and his clear and prompt communication convinced us that he was the right fit.”

Kamien will continue his Lead Editor work during his tenure as Editor in Chief while abiding by a set of guidelines to ensure any potential conflicts of interest are handled appropriately.

The Board-level position was restructured as part of a modernization of APS’s publishing governance structure. In this new role, Kamien will oversee, on behalf of the Board, all aspects of APS scientific publishing including the quality, relevance, integrity, and editorial excellence of APS scientific publications. Additionally, he will serve as the ultimate arbiter of editorial appeals and journal-related ethics questions. Kamien will partner with Chief Publications Officer Rachel Burley, who leads a growing team of APS staff responsible for the publishing strategy, editorial, operations, and sales functions of the portfolio.

“I look forward to collaborating with Randall and my colleagues on the Committee on Scientific Publications, the new Council of Lead Editors, our staff, and volunteer leaders as we build on the incredible, nearly 130 year history of Physical Review,” says Burley.

“The future of our journals is bright,” says APS CEO Jonathan Bagger. “Under Randall’s oversight and Rachel’s leadership, The Physical Review will continue to be well positioned to meet the evolving publishing needs of our community.”